The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-30
READING STILL ON TOP.
THE EFFORT TO GET THE MEN OUT
STILL UNSUCCESSFUL

mo CONCLUSION 16C hSdCQeQ Dy UlS
Convention at Reading President
Corbin Issues Manifesto Notifying
the Men that Their Allegiance to the
Knights Must Be Secondary to That
to the Company.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 29.-The officers of
the Reading Railroad Company and a com
mittee of the Executive Committee of the
striking employees who belong to the
Knights of Labor came together again this
morning and parted after short but
stormy session, in which the pany re-
fused to recognize the callers commit
tee, but agreed to recognize t. AS indi-
viduals, and in which the latter refused to
be SO recognized and demanded a conference
Of the Knights of Labor committee, and
being refused this left in anger Chairman
John L. Lee, of the Executive Committee,
was the spokesman for the Knights of La
Dor, and he bore the brunt of the short, but
spicy debate, and when ii was over he said
it was the last chance the company would
ever have of treating with a committee of
Knights, unless an apology was made for
the treatment he and his fellows received
this morning, and unless the company's
officers conceded recognition to the knights
as body.
POLICE ON GUARD.
Uniformed policemen guard every en-
trance to the Port Richmond coal wharves
There has been no trouble of any kind what
ever to-day, and the seven shifting engines
that proved loyal to the company when the
strike was resumed yesterday afternoon are
at work. The other seven "wharf rats"
&.I -
noon, were sent TO the roundhouse
last night, and are now under
steam waiting for the arrival of coal, when
they will be again brought into service.
Crews have been secured TO take charge of
these engines. Each of the seven wparf
engines at work on the coal wharves this
morning was in charge of Pinkerton police,
who rode on them about the Port Richmond
yard TO protect the crews. No attempt has
been made to molest tkem.
REINSTATEMENT REFUSED.
Agent Keim says that the seven crews
who struck yesterday came TO his office this
morning and asked to be reinstated, but he
informed them that they were discharged
and could not again enter the company's
employ.
The stevedores at the freight wharves of
Cearfied street, who also went out yester-
day afternoon, did not return to work this
morning. Agent Klein Immediately dis
patched tug into the city where a
large force of stevedores
was secured and taken to the freight
wharves, where they went to work, with
twelve policemen guarding them. At noon
the men were marched to pier 9 in charge
of officers, where dinner was served
them, There was nothing to-day at either
the Ninth or Broad street stations that
would indicate the existence of a strike. All
trains, both passenger and freight, moved
on as usual.
CHAIRMAN LEE DISCHARGED.
John l.. Lee, Chairman of the Reading
Railroad Employees Executive Committee,
was discharged from the employ of the
Reading Railroad Company to-day. For
some time practical management of the
strike has been in the hands of the commit
tee of which Mr. Lee is chairman
to the whole committee Mr.. Lee is
machinist employed in the repair shops at
Ninth and Green streets He has been away
on leave of absence for several days, and
this time he employed in attending TO his
duties in connection with the Knights of
Labor The company's officials say that as
long as Lee fought for the strikers in an
open manner they had no objection TO his
course, but they claim that underhand work
was done at his instigation or with his con-
sent.
MR. CORBIN's MANIFESTO.
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.--Austin Corbin,
President Of the Reading railroad, plainly
defined the position of the company toward
its employees in letter sent at noon to-day
to A. A. Mcleod, General Manager, with
instructions to communicate its contents to
the men. 1t reads as follows:
ITO such Of our old employees who have
stood faithful we feel obliged and thankful,
and will not forget them, but the time has
now arrived when all of our employees
will be required TO decide whether they ex-
pect to retain their places by reason of hon
est and faithful service and prompt obedi-
ence to the orders Of the company that em-
ploys them and paws them, or blind obedi-
ence to the direction of the Knights of
Labor, through which organization the
leaders nope 10 coerce the company SaBo the
employment of men who consider their
first obedience due 10 that order.
The men that stand by us
will have employment with reasonable
any other corporation of similar character.
The men who do not will never be allowed
on the road again under any circumstances.
We have never objected to labor organiza-
tions, and do not now. Every man shall be
free TO belong 70 one or not as he pleases,
but the heads OF such orders cannot, and
shall not dictate 10 this company as 20
whom it shall employ or how operate its
property. The places that are left in obedi-
ence 10 the orders of the Knights Of Labor
will he filed with new men and such new
men will be retained, and under no circum-
stances will be discharged to make room for
men who have left their places. Here
after we will operate this property
with employees who consider that their first
duty is to the company and expect 20 obey
reasonable orders made In the transaction
Of It's business There has never been a
moment when, under any circumstances,
we would arbitrate any question growing
out OF this strike. There has been nothing
TO arbitrate II is only a question as to
whether the company viii be per
mitte1 30 operate It's own property,
proper ty in which there is invested over
goo, 600 900, or whether that property shall
may as well be understood now, and from
this time on, that every wheel which is
turned on the Reading system, shall be
turned orfthe orders OF thatcompany, and
under the orders Of nobody else"
READINGS CONVENTION.
REApfNG, Pa, Dec. 29.--Two hundred
and fifty delegates, representing the Read
ing Railroad and Coal and Iron Company's
employees throughout the territory covered
by the company's tracks, met here to-
night in special convention to take into
important matters affecting
their interests and their relations with the
company. The coal regions sent the largest
delegation of nearly 100 Up to midnight,
as far as can be learned, the convention had
a